VIRTUAL TRAVELLING
Even though lockdown has been lifted from most of the countries now but people are still cautious to move out. Be it grocery shopping or routine jogging, a mask is a must. Everyone loves the idea of going out but they know what risk it pertains at the very moment. Who might have thought of a time where travelling would have gone into the shelves! But what if I say travelling is still in practice and when I say travelling I am not limited to a restaurant visit. By travelling, I mean travelling to the mountains, travelling to the beaches and travelling to the forests. I mean everything that has got to do with the idea of travelling to a new place. The human race is very adaptable. They find their way anyhow. Like everything has a substitute, same way travelling has also got a new fill-in. Although many of us are aware of the concept of virtual travelling still it is new for some of us.
What is virtual travelling?
Virtual travelling is just like a facsimile reproduction of reality that you can experience from any corner of your house. With the availability of a rich profusion of destinations to explore, you just need to find out what suits your taste and you are good to go.
How to get started with it?
Different people have different questions regarding virtual travelling. The first and foremost query that comes in mind after you hear travelling is "finances". It is obvious that the second you step out of your house you need cash and it is very important to manage your finances before moving out for a vacation. So if you are also curious about how much a virtual trip may cost you, is it free or do we have to splurge a big amount of money to experience it, here are few answers to all your doubts. Virtual travelling may cost you nothing and it may also cost you basic sometimes. Just like traditional travelling, you have numerous options and you can explore multiple packages according to your convenience. An added advantage of virtual travelling is that unlike traditional travelling, you can even experience it free of cost. Some people are even confused regarding the virtual reality concept that has been picked up by virtual travellers lately and is in practice from a very long time now. Trippers all across the world are coming up with virtual 360° angle videos of HD quality. These videos can be seen with the help of a VR headset which is quite affordable and is easily available online. The VR headset magnifies everything on the screen and gives it a 3D effect. Other than virtual 360° tours there are plenty of auxiliary tours that don't even require a VR headset and you can enjoy live streaming videos of them. So, a laptop and a good internet connection are what all you need to get started with virtual travelling, anytime, anywhere.
Now that we know what all is needed to get started with it, let's look for some good destinations that we can traverse virtually.
1) A live stream tour to Northern lights
So the first one on our list and hopefully on many of your bucket lists also is an evening chasing the famous Aurora borealis in the northern part of the world including places like Alaska, Canada and Finland. The best website for this virtual tour is lights over Lapland where you can go on a snowy sledge ride and enjoy the northern lights.
Website: https://lightsoverlapland.com/
2) Antarctic expedition
Next on our list is a virtual tour to Antarctica. The crescent-shaped, mountainous island is known for its diverse wildlife (including a massive king penguin colony at Salisbury Plain), glaciers and fjords. Experience the life-sized emperor penguin up close and take a dive into the beauty of ice-covered landmasses.
website: http://shackleton100.com/antarctica/
3) Taj Mahal
Explore the "UNESCO World Heritage site", the majestic wonder of the world which is highly rich in architecture. The white-ivory marble mausoleum situated on the bank of river Yamuna is an eye-soothing site to observe.
Website: https://www.taj-mahal.net/newtaj/
4) Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Follow rangers on a journey to places most people never go in stunning 360° video. Extending from sea level to 13,677 feet, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
website: https://artsandculture.withgoogle.com/en-us/national-parks-service/hawaii-volcanoes/nahuku-lava-tube-tour
5) Gardens of the Queen, Cuba
Cuba's second-largest archipelago, comprised of some 600 cays, small islands and mangrove forests. Explore the species of sharks and crocodiles that are a hidden gem and will continue to elude you.
website: https://www.airpano.com/360video/vr-underwater-cuba-5/
Apart from these amazing recommendations you can even go on virtual camps and share your stories with a bowl of maggie from your living room, interact with people, on a website like enlightened sapiens that has come up with an idea of providing its audience with a mountain-like experience. The website also witnesses a series of upcoming events every month. These events like live meditation and do-it-along sessions are not only helpful for your self-learnings but it a great way of entertainment if you are bored at your house. Many other websites with such events are accessible over the net such as :
https://www.google.com/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/the-worlds-highest-peaks/
https://www.kayak.com/c/escape/virtual-guides/rio-de-janeiro/
Can virtual travelling replace traditional travelling?
For those of you who enjoy this idea of travelling more than the regular travelling maybe because of the cost and time involved that is almost minimal, it is a good option to avoid long queues and annoying fellow tourists you get on your journey but from where will you bring that fresh air of the mountains and that salty water of the beach? You can never bring adventure and sunlight home. You will be able to learn things in a different way but there will not be any practicality to it. You can never feel the best of nature just by being inside a blanket and that's why it is said that "Great things happen when you move out of your comfort zone". Nevertheless, for the time being, Virtual travelling is the best option for you to choose because it will not only help keep you entertained but it will also save your life and the life of your loved ones.
~By akansha singhal for Young Engine